Thanks to FPV drone specialist Ross Beck, we are getting exposed to what the RED Komodo was made for, which is high-octane action epic cinematic shots. Watch how the Komodo shoots drifting race cars at 100 MPH.
FPV drones on cinematic applications
FPV drones (First Person View or first-person video) are typically small radio-controlled quadcopters, equipped with cameras while the operator wears head-mounted displays showing the live stream camera feed from the drones. The FPV drones allow significantly higher maneuverability capabilities compare to conventional drones, which leads to exceptional mesmerizing shots that were never possible when flying a regular drone. However, the mounted camera has to be small, due to the compact form factor of the FPV drone. Thus, GoPro action cameras were the weapon of choice when shooting with FPV drones. However, GoPro cameras are limited regarding their image quality and post-production flexibility.
RED Komodo: A cinematographic alternative to GoPro
The RED Komodo was developed as an action camera to be used on high-end production. Although GoPro has been heavily and intensively used even in Hollywood, it lacks the cinematic quality that is so needed for the big screen. RED said that GoPro “didn’t cut well” in high-end productions and also was limited to 20 frames before the audience could notice the difference between the GoPro and other cinema cameras. This thesis has led to the born of the Baby Dragon, which can be defined as RED’s action cinema camera ((Read: RED’s “Baby Dragon” (Komodo): An Action Cinema Camera)). Indeed, Komodo’s compact form factor and low weight open mounting possibilities to be utilized to get the most interesting shots without compromising the cinematic quality. Furthermore, the RED Komodo is armed with a global shutter sensor which is essential in that type of action shots. The video in this article, shot by drone specialist Ross Beck, is one of the best proofs so far for Komodo’s high capabilities and utilization.
RED Komodo on an FPV drone
Ross Beck has designed this race FPV drone from the ground up. “I have been working on this heavy lifting FPV project for a few months now. Lots of trial and error, buying prebuilt drones, learning how to build them myself, crashing them. It all led to a moment recently where a local guy (in Seattle) let me borrow his shiny new RED Komodo and literally said “put it through its paces” says Ross. For those of you who are interested to explore and learn the whole fascinating creation of this setup (highly recommended), watch this video.
It all led to a moment recently where a local guy (in Seattle) let me borrow his shiny new RED Komodo and literally said “put it through its paces”.
Ross Beck
FPV Drone Specs
- 12s 50v 120a APD ESC’s
- APD PDB500 12s 52v 500a
- XNOVA 350kv motors
- Gemfan 1310 Props
- BrainFPV FC
- Frame by cineclassfpv.com
- TBS nano diversity RX
- Extra extended immortal-T
- Camera RunCam Phoenix 2
- TBS unify pro32 HV (1000mW VTX)
- Lumenier AXII 2 Long Range VTX antenna
- 10x HRB 6s 6000mah lipo
- 2000 watt charger by ProgressiveRC
- Camera: RED Komodo 6k Global Shutter
- Shot at: 6k 23.98fps – 4k 59.94fps – 2k 120fps
- Max speeds is 99mph and flight times of 4-5 minutes
Watch the video below (You can watch it bigger above the title of the article):
Wrapping up
As you can notice, although it’s an FPV drone, the cinematic quality is truly amazing, and global shutter advantages are clearly demonstrated. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that building and flying an FPV drone requires a vast amount of knowledge, training, and expertise. Follow Ross on Instagram to learn more about cinematic FPV shots.
